Poor-Quality Weight Loss Advice Often Appears First in an Online SearchHBNS STORY | November 13, 2014
More than 40 percent of U.S. Internet users use online search engines to seek guidance on weight loss and physical activity. A new study in the American Journal of Public Health finds that high-quality weight loss information often appears after the first page of search engine results.

Mental Health Wins When Teens Play School SportsHBNS STORY | July 1, 2014
Adolescents who play team sports in grades 8 through 12 have less stress and better mental health as young adults, finds new research published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

Don't Forget the Hefty Price We Pay to Engage in HealthPREPARED PATIENT BLOG | June 12, 2014 | Jessie Gruman
Media-fueled flip-flops and research breakthroughs on lifestyle and health behaviors are wearing down my usual patience with the provisional nature of science. Even simple dietary recommendations like lower fat/salt recommendations have become complicated as old truisms are overturned by new evidence. So I'm asking: To whom should I turn for meaningful guidance about modifying my risk for illness and boosting my health?

When an Advocate Becomes a PatientPREPARED PATIENT BLOG | April 28, 2014 | Bonnie Friedman
A recent clumsy mishap at the gym landed me in the emergency department. Lying in the hall, feeling hapless and helpless, I was in no position to make any important health decisions, had they been needed, or to remember anything important that might have been said. Later, I understood on a deeply personal level the need for a patient advocate...

Doctors as Coaches, Giving Up the High HorsePREPARED PATIENT BLOG | April 21, 2014 | Milly Dawson
A recent conference at Harvard Medical School brought together scores of physicians who want to live healthfully themselves and to work as partners with their patients to help them do the same. I've attended many medical meetings but never one as much fun or as health promoting for participants as this one...

Weight Loss Efforts Start Well, but Lapse Over TimeHBNS STORY | April 8, 2014
Learning you have an obesity-related disease motivates many to start a weight loss program, but troubling health news is often not enough to sustain weight loss efforts, finds new research in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Do People Really Want to Tech Their Way to Health?PREPARED PATIENT BLOG | March 25, 2014 | Jane Sarasohn Kahn
The hockey-stick growth of "wearable technology" seen at the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show begs the question: Will people pay out-of-pocket for gadgets that help them measure their steps, track their sleep, quantify their calories, record their heart rate and feedback their mood? A caveat emptor to investors seeing short-term dollar signs in the digital health sector...

Parents Should Team with Kids to Encourage ExerciseHBNS STORY | March 4, 2014
Parents can help motivate kids to be more physically active, but the influence may not result in an improvement in their children’s weight, finds a new evidence review in the American Journal of Health Promotion.

Contradictory Nutrition News Creates Consumer ConfusionHBNS STORY | January 28, 2014
Exposure to conflicting news about nutrition often results in confusion and backlash against nutrition recommendations, finds a recent study in the Journal of Health Communication: International Perspectives.

Sticking With Resolutions Is All About PreparationPREPARED PATIENT BLOG | January 27, 2014 | David L. Katz
Relevant research and conventional wisdom alike suggest that, despite their irresistible perennial tug on our collective conscience, New Year's resolutions generally have about the staying power of Champagne bubbles. In contrast, the science of sustainable behavior change tips convincingly toward "don't go until ready."

Sedentary Lifestyles Up Mortality Risks for Older WomenHBNS STORY | January 21, 2014
Older women who spend a majority of their day sitting or lying down are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, cancer and death, finds a new study from the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Rich or Poor, Schools Fall Short on Providing Physical ActivityHBNS STORY | January 16, 2014
Schools in wealthier areas are more likely to have a physical education (PE) teacher on staff than are schools in poorer areas, but students in both wealthy and less affluent areas are not getting enough physical activity, finds a new study in the American Journal of Health Promotion.

Teen Concussions Increase Risk for DepressionHBNS STORY | January 9, 2014
Teens with a history of concussions are more than three times as likely to suffer from depression as teens who have never had a concussion, finds a new study in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

Wellness at WorkPREPARED PATIENT BLOG | December 5, 2013 | Health Behavior News Service
Is your company one of the many that are now offering "wellness programs"? Our latest Be a Prepared Patient article, Staying Well at Work, looks at a few of these programs in action and offers tips for maintaining a healthy work/life balance...

Healthy Eating...Help!PREPARED PATIENT BLOG | November 27, 2013 | CFAH Staff
It isn't breaking news that exercising and eating a healthy diet can help improve your overall health and fitness, but that doesn't make it any easier for most of us to follow suit. These resources from CFAH's 'Be a Prepared Patient' can help...

Exercise Benefits People with AsthmaHBNS STORY | September 24, 2013
People with asthma who engaged in appropriate exercise programs had improved cardiovascular fitness and an overall improved quality of life, finds a new review in The Cochrane Library.

Latest Health Behavior NewsPREPARED PATIENT BLOG | September 20, 2013 | Health Behavior News Service
In this weeks health news: Group exercise alleviates college stress | Maintain your weight in a matter of minutes | Education may be the key to fighting obesity | Men who binge at risk for cardiovascular disease.

Kids Get More Exercise in Smart Growth NeighborhoodsHBNS STORY | September 10, 2013
Children who live in smart growth neighborhoods, designed to improve walkability, get 46 percent more moderate or vigorous physical activity than those who live in conventional neighborhoods, finds a new study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Rural Seniors Prefer Self-Care Over DoctorsHBNS STORY | August 15, 2013
A survey of older rural adults found a high degree of medical skepticism, the belief that one knows and can control their own health better than a medical professional can, reports a recent study in the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved.

Employers Can Motivate Employees to Get MovingHBNS STORY | July 30, 2013
Workplace efforts to encourage employees to increase physical activity are most effective when they incorporate tools such as pedometers and related electronic health information, finds a new review in the American Journal of Health Promotion.

Lower Coronary Heart Disease Deaths By Making Several Lifestyle ChangesHBNS STORY | July 9, 2013
Programs to address multiple health behaviors, such as diet and exercise, significantly lowered the risk of a fatal heart attack, stroke or other cardiovascular event in people with coronary heart disease, finds a new review in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Walking Leads to Better Health for Older MenHBNS STORY | May 30, 2013
The more an older man walks, the better his physical and mental health and his quality of life are likely to be, finds a new study in the American Journal of Health Promotion.

Providing Workplace Wellness Centers Could BackfireHBNS STORY | May 2, 2013
People who signed up for a workplace wellness center but then used it infrequently experienced declines in their mental quality-of-life, finds a new study in the American Journal of Health Promotion.

Unwilling to Pay Extra for WellnessHBNS STORY | April 9, 2013
Although most overweight adults agree that health insurance benefits designed to promote weight loss are a good idea, they don’t want to pay extra for them, finds a new study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Latest Health Behavior NewsPREPARED PATIENT BLOG | February 12, 2013 | Health Behavior News Service
This week in health behavior news: Effects of deployment on those left behind | Commuting style linked to weight gain | Drugs for fibromyalgia may do more harm than good | Accidental poisonings leading cause of deaths at home

Cancer: Exercise Reduces TirednessHBNS STORY | November 15, 2012
Aerobic exercise can help relieve the fatigue often associated with cancer and cancer treatment, according to Cochrane researchers.

Less than 25 Percent of Americans Walk for More Than Ten MinutesHBNS STORY | November 6, 2012
Many people in the U.S. do not walk, bike or engage in other forms of active transportation, missing an important opportunity to improve their cardiovascular health, concludes a new study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Regular Physical Activity May Help Ward Off Dementia Years LaterHBNS STORY | July 17, 2012
Older adults who engage in vigorous physical activity three or more times a week are less likely to be diagnosed with dementia later compared to adults who don’t, according to a new longitudinal study in American Journal of Health Promotion.

Logging On to Lose Weight May Be a Tough Sell for EmployersHBNS STORY | June 5, 2012
A new study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine examined whether a convenient web support program could help employees maintain weight loss after an intensive kick-off. It turns out that a challenge may be just getting them to log on.

People with Asthma Get the Green Light for ExerciseHBNS STORY | May 17, 2012
Not only is it safe for people with asthma to exercise, but doing so could reduce their risk of asthma symptoms or attacks, according to a new evidence review in The Cochrane Library.

Students More Likely to be Fit When Physical Education is MandatoryHBNS STORY | May 1, 2012
Fifth graders in California public school districts that comply with the state’s mandatory physical education requirement are more likely to have better fitness levels than students in districts that don’t comply, according to a new study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Single Men Spend Weekends Sitting & Watching TVHBNS STORY | March 13, 2012
Single, middle-aged people who live alone spend more time sitting. A new study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine discovered that men tended to sit for longer periods watching TV on the weekends while women sat for longer periods doing activities such as reading or dining out.

Making Exercise Fun & Cool for At-Risk TeensHBNS STORY | March 8, 2012
Motivating teens to exercise is often a tough sell, but a new study in the American Journal of Health Promotion finds that introducing culturally tailored activities, those that young people find fun and popular, can encourage some of the most at-risk teens to get active.

Small Steps to Big Health ChangePREPARED PATIENT ARTICLE
We often give a chilly reception to the idea of going "cold turkey" when it comes to anything that has to do with changing behaviors and habits, even those that may be important for our health.

Watched, Loved and Now Desired by MillionsPREPARED PATIENT BLOG | July 20, 2010 | Dorothy Jeffress
If popular culture provides clues to social trends then all signs point to an American public captivated by red velvet, carrot, lemon, and raspberry. Fabric, fruits and vegetables? No cakes whether of the cup variety or fancy full-size versions.

*Founded in 1992 by Jessie Gruman, PhD, president until her death in July 2014, the Center for Advancing Health closed December 31, 2014. Supported by the Jessie Gruman Memorial Fund, cfah.org resources will remain online until January 2020.